Celebrity Squares
Celebrity Squares is a game of "Noughts & Crosses" with celebrities based on the American hit, Hollywood Squares. It is referred to as "The Big Box Game". Gameplay Main Game The two contestants competing took in turns picking off each of the nine celebrities seated in a great big game board. On each star, the host asked a question to that star afterwhich the star would usually give a crazy answer (classified as a zinger) followed by his/her real answer. After hearing the real answer, the contestant in control decided to either agree, meaning the star is correct, or disagree, meaning the star answered with a bluff. If the contestant's judgment/answer was correct, he/she got the square and money for that square (hence the phrase "nought/cross gets the square"); if the contestant's judgment/answer was wrong, his/her opponent got the square (but no money) unless it would mean a win; when that happened nothing would be placed in that square because a win had to be earned by the contestant in control. The first player to get three-in-a-row or five squares won the game and more money for that game. Scoring The value in the 70s version was always £10/square and game. While in the other two versions; in the first half, correct judgments are worth a minimal amount and game wins were worth more. In the second half, the values are doubled; if there was time for a fourth game, they would be doubled again. Here are the values for the 1990s series: In 2014, each square in the first four rounds (two in 2015) was worth £50 and winning a round was worth an extra £500. In the last round (fifth round in 2014 and third round in 2015), the money payouts doubled. Secret Square In certain games, one of the squares would be dubbed the "Secret Square". The contestant who picked that square would usually have sounds going off to let the contestant, the star, and everybody else know. Then the star would be asked a special question (usually multiple choice). The star gave an answer but without a zinger and if the contestant could correctly agree or disagree with the star's answer, he/she won a bonus prize. In the ATV version, the second, third, and fourth games were secret square games. In the Central version, the second game was the secret square game. If the secret square was not revealed in that round, the prize was carried over to the next round, and the secret square was repositioned to a different celebrity. In the Warwick Davis version, the Secret Square was renamed the "Mystery Square." A successful capture of that square won a prize attached to that celebrity which was contained in an envelope. In 2014, a second "Mystery Square" was lurking in the fourth game and that was worth a holiday. Square Essentials In the Warwick Davis version, the third game was called "Square Essentials." Instead of having the host ask questions to the celebrities, the celebrities gave statements about themselves. The contestants' job was to decide if the statements they heard were truths or bluffs. Speed Round When there was less than a minute left to play, the game shifted to a speed round where they got through as many questions as they could. ---- When time was up, the player with the most money went on to the final round. Final Round In the final round, the winning contestant was asked a question, the question has at least nine correct answers. His/her job was to give the nine correct answers in 30 seconds or less with each individual correct answer lighting up a square. If the contestant did that, he/she won a star prize. ATV The winner had a choice of playing for an additional £100, or risking their money and Secret Square prizes for a chance to augment their cash winnings to £1,000. Failure to win the extra £100 earned £5 for each correct answer; going for the £1,000 and losing earned nothing extra. Central ("The Monkhouse Motorshow") The winner and Bob stood in front of a display of five cars. The car, if won, was selected by a randomizer on the game board; the stars' names were replaced by car names. From the second series onward, the choice of their car was selected before the final round started and they got a pick of three different categories for their question. On some occasions, if the contestant failed, their cash winnings were doubled as a consolation. September Films/GroupM Entertainment ("Question Line") The "Question Line" was any line of three celebrities whose screens showed three categories related to them and the winning contestant had to choose one of them to play. Each correct answer was worth £1,000, but all nine won £20,000. Series 2 increased the prize to £25,000. Additional Pages List of Celebrity Squares episodes and specials List of Celebrities on Celebrity Squares Inventor Based on the American game show Hollywood Squares. YouTube Links 1975 Version Full Episode First Round from 1976 Intro from 1976 Another Intro from 1976 End of Show from 1979 Category:Noughts and Crosses Category:General Knowledge Quiz Category:Family Game Category:Celebrity Category:Gambling Category:Long-Running Category:American Formats Category:ITV Shows Category:1975 premieres Category:1979 endings Category:1993 premieres Category:1997 endings Category:2014 premieres Category:2015 endings